WalkMan
The Fortress of Doomitude had a parking garage with designated Electric Vehicle charging spots. I tried to wrap my head around this small detail as Stacy, my son Steven's girlfriend, plugged the charging cable into the Nissan Leaf's front charging port.
"Since when is Doctor Doomsday environmentally conscious?" I asked.
Stacy looked up from the hood, confused. "Um, I'm not sure. This and the other environmental systems were already in place before I joined the Doomsquad." She said. "The only thing added since then was the rooftop garden I suggested. We're hoping to have our first harvest sometime next week, if the tomatoes come in alright."
I glanced around, and saw a sign pointing towards a stairwell labeled 'Garden of Doomitude'. The sign also had labels and arrows pointing all around the complex, with labels like 'Solar Farm of Doom', 'Geothermal Doompower', and 'Minion Steven's Ice Creamery'.
I glanced back to Stacy, one eyebrow raised quizzically. "Steven makes ice cream?" I asked.
Stacy's hair shifted color like a chameleon, from her usual pink color to a more vibrant hue. "Yeah, he's gotten really good at it too. I encouraged him to pick up a hobby in his free time, and he's really taken to it." She lowered her head, and her hair changed to a depressed blue. "Today' flavor was supposed to be cherry chocolate chip."
The entire reason I was here today was the same reason for the ice cream's absence. Steven, my son, and a former hero named Hadron, were currently being held by a previously unknown villain.
For the moment, I was joining forces with Doctor Doomsday. The very thought sent a revolting shudder through my system.
I activated one of my collar speakers, playing a soothing wordless melody that calmed me.
Stacy lead the way through the parking garage to a door set into the far wall. A red beam of light emerged as we approached, and scanned Stacy from head to toe.
"IDENTITY CONFIRMED. WELCOME BACK, MINION 6293." a robotic voice declared. The door swung open, unleashing a small wave of red tinted fog.
Stacy sighed. "Doctor Doomsday only turns on the smoke machines when he's trying to impress someone. I'll have to mop this once we're done." She entered the door, found a supply closet in the hallway, and came back with a yellow wet floor sign. She fanned the smoke out the door with the sign before placing it on the newly made wet spot on the tile floor.
"Right this way, sir." Stacy said, gesturing for me to proceed. "Doctor Doomsday already began the logistics meeting for the rescue mission."
I took a deep breath, and stepped into my nemesis' lair.
Stacy guided me through the fortress of Doomitude, following signs pointing towards "conference room 1A". I had only been here once before, when I had technically died and Doctor Doomsday and Steven had first teamed up to resurrect me. I didn't remember very much from my brief time in the lair, except that the Doc had cut off my right ring finger...again.
Stacy stopped in front of a simple wooden door. "Meeting's in here. Doctor Doomsday is expecting you." She glanced around, then leaned in and whispered "he doesn't have anything planned against you. He really does just want to rescue Steven and Avatar."
I grunted. "Fine, but I'm not calling him Avatar. His name's Hadron."
Stacy paused. "I think he gave up that hero name when he joined the Doomsquad."
I shook my head. "Whatever. Let's get this over with."
I grasped the handle, took another deep breath, and opened the door.
